A/N: So, tis is chapter two. I should warn you guys this will get pretty dark towards the end, and I can warn you that there will be physical abuse. ALSO go check out my friend, Lyvellan Hawke. He is one of my besties, and just posted his first fanfic. Check it out!
Three years. That's how long Gaster had been working on the stupid orb project. He hadn't learned much more than it burned like hell when it was touched, so he and Alphys handled it carefully. Sans had grown from a pouty five year into a snarky eight year old.
Over those three long years, Papyrus had grown into the loving, loud four year old he was. Nowadays, he and his brother would wander through Snowdin or Hotland while their estranged father worked. Every now and then, the king would allow the boys to stay in New Home with him.
Recently, Sans had gotten into a fight at school, so he and Papyrus were drug to work with their dad that Saturday. Sans was sulking while the boat sailed slowly. Gaster was reading over notes. He hadn't even notice the powers that had developed in Sans. He had learned t control the glowing in his eyes, now eye from the hit h took the other day.
The kid that had started a fight with him was some fish girl in the high school. They both had messed up an eye in the fight, but now they were friends. Gaster didn't care.
"Fighting is wrong." He had said. "You could have been killed." Sans was grounded, to say the least. Papyrus idolized the fish girl now, mainly because she thought she was so tough. His little brother scooted closer t him, his red scarf taking up most of his face.
"Sans." Papyrus nudged him. He pretended not to hear him. "Sans!"
"What?" Sans looked down at his brother. Papyrus's eyes were full of hope.
"Do the trick." He begged. Sans made a loud, fake groan. Gaster looked up long enough to give Sans a look. He went back to his notes just as Sans light up his left eye. Papyrus clapped with excitement.
"Sans." Gaster looked at him. The bright blueish green color faded. "Since Alphys and I are meeting with the King today, you and papyrus will be free to wander the Capital. You will go no farther than Hotland. I will give you two money for lunch, so make sure you keep an eye on Papyrus." The boat stopped, and the boys followed Gaster to New Home.
Papyrus loved it there. He loved playing in the yellow flowers, and meeting all the monsters who lived and worked there. Sans would just follow him around, making sure he didn't get into too much trouble.
Today, though, Papyrus seemed set on Hotland. He wanted to explore the volcanic area that would one day power the still unfinished Core.
"Is daddy ever going to be done?" Papyrus asked. Sans looked at his little brother. He was so damn smart for his age.
"I don't know, bro. It's hard to tell. That orb project has Dad all kinds of wrapped up, but I think he'll finish the Core soon." Sans smiled at Papyrus, who looked back out into the sea of lava.
Gaster didn't know who told him, but he knew that there was a human unground. He was running through New Home, shouting for his sons.
Sans smelled the fire before he saw the human. He and Papyrus, the latter of whom was hungry, went looking to find the food. There they saw a strange looking being. Sans knew what they were immediately.
He grabbed Papyrus, but not before he shouted hello. The boy looked up at them, and smiled warmly.
"Well, howdy!" He said. The fire was blazing underneath his pan. The stained apron around his neck threw Sans, whose eyes was glowing in fear. "Just cooking up some lunch, friends. Care to join? Meals are always better with company." Papyrus got away from Sans, and walked over to the human, sitting down near him.
"I'm The Great Papyrus!" He announced. Sans approached cautiously. "What's your name?"
"I'm Jack. The Chef." He rubbed Papyrus' head. Sans sat down, and pulled his brother closer to him. "I guess you monsters don't get many humans down here, huh?"
"Nope! You seem nice though." Papyrus took a deep sniff from the pan. "Wowie! That smells really good!"
"Sans!" Gaster yelled. "Papyrus!" The boys looked up, and saw their father running towards them. Jack the Chef jumped backwards, looking thoroughly scared. Sans drug Papyrus towards Gaster, who shielded them behind him. "Are you alright?" He asked, looking back at the boys. Sans nodded.
"Daddy, Jack is nice! He was making lunch!" Papyrus quipped helpfully. Jack nodded.
Gaster eyed the human, and grabbed his arm. "Sans, I want you and papyrus to go home."
"Daddy!" Papyrus tried to but in.
"Trust me. It's for the best." Gaster explained to papyrus. The baby bones nodded, and Sans left for the River Person's boat. Gaster waited until he knew they were out of earshot. "I wish you hadn't fallen down here, human."
Sans and Papyrus made it home without any more fuss. Papyrus kept wondering when he'd get to see Jack The Chef again. Sans didn't answer. He couldn't. He was old enough to know that the King didn't let the humans live. He took their souls, and waited.
That's what the Core was supposed to prevent.
Gaster came home a few hours later, looking sullen. He smiled sadly as Papyrus enquired about his new friend.
"King Asgore will take good care of Jack, Papyrus." He lied. Papyrus seemed cont4ent wit that answer. "He's going to help us get out of the Underground."
"Good! Then Jack and I can be friends above ground!" Papyrus skipped off to his room.
"If only…" Gaster sank into the couch. Sans hadn't seen something like this, well ever. He made a cup of tea, and gingerly pressed it into his dad's hands. "Thank you, son."
"Dad… What about the core?" Sans asked. Gaster sipped the tea for a few minutes.
"Alphys and I will be returning to work on it tomorrow. You're a very smart boy." Gaster looked him up and down. "Would you like to help me?"
For the first few months it was great. Sans was able to learn to use his powers better, and he got to help out in something his dad was working on. Until Papyrus became curious.
Sans had to stop helping with the Core so that Papyrus wouldn't get hurt. Even though when Sans was five, he had been allowed to run around by himself. Chasing Papyrus was fun, but he'd much rather be working on the core.
More time passed. Papyrus didn't understand why Gaster was spending less and less time with them, so every moment he was actually home, Papyrus was all over his father. He entertained his youngest son, though Sans eventually left school. He didn't need it anyway.
Gaster began to be gone for days at a time. Papyrus would wait, every day saying he'd be back tonight for sure. When he did come home, all Gaster did was eat and sleep. A few times he'd have a screaming match with Sans, but Papyrus never got involved. Except for one.
"It's not my fault you never leave us any money!" Sans shouted. Gaster had been scolding him for the lack of food. "At least I make sure Pap is fed."
"You need to be more responsible with what I do give you." Gaster snapped back.
"You're gone for weeks! Sixty Gold doesn't fill the fridge for three weeks, Dad!"
"Please stop!" Papyrus shouted, jumping between them. Gaster swung.